Swaged end for stranded metal mechanical cable



Sept

H. W. CLAPPER SWAGED END FOR STRANDED METAL MECHANICAL CABLE Filed April 20, 1959 OPERATING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Hom ER VV* CLHPPER H. W. CLAPPER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HOME? W CLAPPEE BY QTTOENEY Sept. 26, 196,1

swAGED END FOR sTRANDED METAL MECHANICAL CABLE Filed April 2o, 1959 d. no Z Z Z Sept. 26, 1961 H. w. CLAPPER 3,002,046

SWAGED END FOR STRANDED METAL MECHANICAL CABLE Filed April 20, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENT HOME? W, CLA

TTOENEY United States Patent O 3,002,0461 i SWAGEDT'END FOR'ISTRA'NDED AMETAL i MEGHANICAL CABLE:`

. HomerW.` .C,lappe1',Shayne, NJ. Bergen Wire Rope Co., Gregg kSt., Lodi,NJ.) 'Filed Api-.120, 1959, Ser. No. 807,676 p Y i M i tCla'irrs.` (Cl. 1744-89) 4My-inve'ntion relates to Stranded metalmechanical cable having 'an electrical lconductor in the 'center-thereof and inA particular'to a swaged endfor such cable whereby it is .possibleto carry. .lthe'electrical conductor through the* swag'ed. end'to the`-circuits which-are to be operated electrically. Y Y n f In the priorart, therefhavebeen `swaged endson-'stranded metalfmechanical cables which :have anelectrical conductor' inthe Vcenter thereof butthe electrical conductor is notcarried throughthevswaged end. Instead, it is led out of the cablep'riorpto placing the swage sleeve around, the cable and applying pressure to the combination. This is necessary becausenthe'revis no protective anmor around the electricalconductor toprotect it from being crushed by the cable strandsduring thepswaging process. There the electrical condutorwould have to be led out of the cable prior to afl'ixing'theend '-iitting,V

Accordingly, it isanvimportant I object of `tiny. invention to` provide aswfaged end-for a stranded metal mechanical;` cable` havingY an electrical .conductor in the center thereofK wherein the, electricall conductoris carried' through thev swa'ged` end to beconnec'ted totheoperating. circuits.

It is 'a` further object' ofpn'iy'invention to provide such a swaged-end whereinthere isno lossf in breaking strength due to the swag'ed end.

These and other objects, features and advantages willr be apparent during the course of the followingdescription when taken in connectiony with the accompanying drawingsy wherein: p

FIGURE 1 is-an elevationalview of a; swaged endY of iny` V invention showing a hookV connected thereto `and showing the Velectricaloperating circuits in blockfform,

FIGURiE 2 is across-sectional view along the lines 2 2 of FIGURE 1, l. v b,

FIGUREjgS-is'a'crossrsectionalview*along the lines 3-.1-3

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view along the lines 4-4 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view along ,the lines 6--6 of FIGURE 1 prior to the application of pressure to the sleeve, and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 after pressure has been applied to the sleeve.

Broadly, my invention is directed toward the prodfuction of swaged ends -for stranded metal mechanical cables having one or more electrical conductors running through the center of the cable. The conductors are carried through a protective central core which serves as the heart of the swaged end. The core relieves the pressure `of the strands so that no pressure is placed -on the conductors in the swaged end. The core may be cylindrical or tapered. If the tapered core is used, it is placed in the cable so that the tapered end is pointed toward the running portion of the cable. This tapered portion serves to carry the individual strands of the cable out to a common p inner strandll andindentations 26 are caused by outerV strands llwhenpressure is applied duningj the swaging 3,002,046 Patented Sept. 26, 1961 ice surfac'etessentially, a cylinder which is coaxial with the core). This permits the pressure to be applied equally to all the strands and insures that the breaking strength ofl the cable is not weakened at the swaged end. The inner surface of the sleeve is similarly tapered so that the sleeve wall is thicker at the end toward the running portion ofthe cable than at the other end. The inner surface of the outer sleeve is tapered to'allow for the expanded diameter necessary to accommodate the core inside the cable. Swaged ended cables of tiny invention are used to carry a hook or other device at the end and to permit the electrical conductor to be fed through the hook or other'device. For example, cables of my invention may be trailed from aircraft, helicopters, boats and other vessels with a rescue hook attached to the end of the plurality of Wires used to transmit electrical impulses and Ido not intend to limit myself to a single, individual conductor in this specification. Moreover, the electricalecii'-A cuits may be-employed to operate a guillotine in the event the-cable becomes snagged. Cables of-my invent-ion may also be used to trail sonar,`depth iinding or similar equip rnentI attached'to the end of the cable from a helicopter oro'theraircraft or in aircraft or ship control cables.

It should be noted that .a necessary element of my invention is a central core which is heavy enough to protect `the electrical conductor during the swaging process land that thetapered central core is an improved embodiment over a cylindricaly core.

In the drawings, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, -is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, theV numeral 10 designates a stranded metal cable having a'plurality of metal strands 11 and center electrical conductors `12. The swaged end of the cable is made up of sleeve 14 and metallic core 16. The end of sleeve 14 is'threaded as at 22 (FIGURE 4) and hook 18 is threaded onto sleeve 1-4. Operating circuits Z0 are electrically connected to the control point (not shown) by means of electrical conductors 12.

Referring to FIGURE 4, core 16 is shown 'to have a'central hole 15v through which conductors 12 are fed isan extension of hole 15 through which conductors 12A` are fed.l Indentations 2&4 on ,wedge 14 are caused by an process."

By way of example, swaged end cables of my invention having 18 or 19 strand construction are assembled as follows:

Core 16 is pushed into the end of cable 10, taking care to feed conductors .12 through opening 15. Inner strands 111, .112, 116 are led out from inside the cable so that they fall between outer strands 117, 118, 1118 as shown in FIGURES 5 and 6. This operation places all the strands so that their centers are all along the same cylindrical surface which is coaxial with (the axis of the core. Next, sleeve 14 is placed over the end of cable r10 with its tapered inner surface facing so that the thicker wall of the sleeve is toward the running portion of the cable. This taper 13 serves to cooperate with taper 17 and to keep the strands from slipping out of place. Next, pressure is applied to the combination in the manner Well-known in the swaging art until the end becomes a unified piece which Will be as strong as the cable itself. The sleeve is now threaded or similarly e in proper Vrelationship' with the strands. Y

While I have disclosed my invention in relation 'to a machined to permit the hook. or other devicetobe ,at-Y

tached to the endof the cable. The sleeve may be machine or otherwise prepared either before or after swaging. The electrical connections are now made to the operatingoircuits and the cable is ready for operation. It can be seen from the'marks 24 and Z6 Von the core 16 that the inner strands l11 are in contact with the core throughout all its length While the oulter strands' 11 do not make contact with the core untilit assumes its cylindrical shape. FIGURE 5 shows'the relationship of the-strands and sleeve before pressure is applied and FIGURE 6 shows the same relationship ater pres-r sure is applied. n f

The core protects the electrical conductor and prevents pressure from being applied to the electrical conductor.

cross-section as the-individual strands between the strands e so that there are noblank or open spaces between the sleeve andy thecore- 'Ihese plugs are inserted around 4' e cablethan toward the end thereof, al1 of the strands of said cable being in pressure contact with the inner surface of said sleeve, said strands which are in pressure con-i tact with said core and said sleeve being swaged thereto.

2. A swaged end for a stranded metal mechanical cable having-anV electrical conductor in thecenter thereof as described in claim 1`Wherein the :end' of said sleeve is 1 threaded and including threaded holding means connected to said threaded sleeve.

3. A swagedendfor a stranded metal mechanical cable having an electrical conductor in the center thereof as described in claim 2 including electrical operating circuits Y connected to said electrical rconductor, andwherein said 'the core so that the strands fall properly in place, equalize' i the strand loadings and keep the sleeve and the core specie example and in a specific embodiment, I do not wish to belimited thereto, for obvious modiications will occur tothose skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit'andV scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

t1. A swaged end for a stranded metal mechanical Ycable having an electrical conductor inthe center thereof comprising a stranded spirally wound cable, ysaid cable being comprised ofl two ends and a running portion between said ends, an electrical conductor in the center of said spirally wound cable, a cylindrical metallic core, one end of said core being tapered, said core carrying an opening therein from end to end thereof and coaxial therewith, said core being inserted in the end of said cable with the tapered'end thereof pointedtoward-V the running portion of saidV cable, said electrical conductortbeing ,fed through and loosely contained in the,

to said 'threaded sleeve.

*threaded holding means carries an openingtherein1co, axial with the opening in said-core, `said electrical conductor being fed through the opening in said holding means.

' 4. A swaged end for a vstranded metal mechanical cableV Y,

having an electrical conductor in the center thereof comprising va stranded spirally wound cable, an electrical con- Y ductor in the center of said spirally wound cable, a cylindrical metallic core, said corecarrying an opening therein from end to end thereof and coaxial therewith, said electrical conductor being fed through and loosely con-- tained in the opening in said core, said strands of said cable being carriedv o ut .around said core such that eachf of them-is in pressure -contact with said core, and vahollow cylindrical metallic-sleeve around the outside of said cable and said core, all of the strands of said cable being in pressure ycontact with the inner surface of said sleeve, said strands which are in pressure contact with said ycore and said sleeve being swaged thereto.

5. A swaged end for a stranded metal mechanical cableVV l having an electrical conductor in the center thereof as described in claim 4 wherein the end of said sleeve is threaded and including threaded holding'meansconnected 6. A swaged end for a stranded metal mechanical cable having an electrical conductor in the centery thereofvas Vdescribed in claim 5 including electrical operating circuits connected'to said electrical conductor and wherein' said threaded holding means carries an opening therein coaxial with the opening in said core, said electrical conopening in saidcore, said strands of said cable beingcarried outffaround said core such that each of them i s lin pressure "contact with'said core at the untapered end thereof, anda hollow KVcylindrical metallic sleeve around the outside of said cable and said core, the innersurface ofV said sleeve being tapered such that the wall of said,

sleeve is thicker toward the running portion of;,sa.idy

ductor being fed means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,459,047 Crossley' -June 1 9, 1923 2,536,003 Dupre --.Dem 26, 1950 2,562,880 Y Andrew V;Aug. 7, 1951 C FOREIGN` PATENTS Y 726,054 France l Feb.Y 3, 1932 904,714

through fthe opening in said holding 

